Nouveau Farms owners opening new wine, dessert shop in Carytown

The space was formerly the Richmond taproom for Bryant’s Cider. (Mike Platania photo)

Trevor and Kay Ferguson are preparing to open what they hope is “the ultimate date-night spot” in Carytown. 

Their new wine, coffee and dessert cafe Nouveau Provisions will open in the coming weeks at 3423 W. Cary St. 

Nouveau Provisions will serve wine produced by the Fergusons’ main business, Nouveau Farms, as well as desserts from local confectionery JC Desserts. 

The Fergusons launched Nouveau Farms in 2020, growing such produce as lettuce, basil, cilantro and chives. It began as an indoor operation off Hull Street in South Richmond and has expanded to a 6-acre farm off Burning Tree Road in Varina.

Trevor Ferguson said the pair have been planning to build an “agri-tourism” venue on the Varina farm, “where folks could come in, pick up fresh produce, learn about how to grow their own produce, get wine and have a space that they can enjoy.”

“We still want to execute on that vision, but it’s costly to build,” he said. 

Trevor Ferguson

The plan initially was to open the Varina facility, then branch out with satellite locations under the Nouveau brand, but the owners are now doing things in the reverse order. 

“It became clear that (the farm facility) wasn’t going to be something that we could get easily financed to build. The strategy sort of shifted,” Trevor Ferguson said. 

The 1,400-square-foot Cary Street storefront had been home to Bryant’s Cider, a hard cidery based out of Roseland that had been nomadic in its six years in Richmond. It first opened a tasting room in Jackson Ward in 2018, only to move it to the Bottom a year later, before heading to Carytown last year. Bryant’s time in Carytown was short-lived. It closed in November after about a year.  

Trevor Ferguson describes Nouveau Provisions as not a restaurant or bar, but rather a cafe and wine lounge. The wine served will be Nouveau’s blends, which they produce at leased vineyards while they work to establish their vineyard in Varina, something he said they hope to have done in the next year. 

“It’s more of an intimate wine lounge. It’s almost going to be set up as the ultimate date-night spot. …We love desserts and we’re good at pairing,” Trevor Ferguson said, positing a hypothetical night.

“You might’ve gone to get something to eat, but you’re not quite ready to go home yet, so you want to stop over at Nouveau Provisions, get a glass of wine and share dessert and hear some really nice music,” he said. 

In addition to items from JC Desserts, the new cafe is planning to serve food from local food truck Fireside Pizza. Nouveau Farms’ wines will be sold both by the glass and by the bottle for off-site consumption. 

The plan isn’t just for it to be an evening spot. Trevor Ferguson said Nouveau Provisions will look to open in the mornings to serve coffee and tea, as well as juices from local producer JuiceLifeRVA. 

Nouveau Provisions will join other new arrivals to Carytown’s food and beverage scene, including Grateful Dead-themed bar Ripple Ray’s, and Dinner Party, a new wine shop at 3402 W. Cary St.